Hi There

I am Lethabo Ngakane, Editor in Chief of Kaffein Magazine. Yesterday I allowed an article titled “For Black Girls Only – Unity In Segregation?”  to be published on our website. The article interrogated certain elements of #FBGO , mainly arguing/questioning whether their approach to tackling the matter of gender inequality and race is appropriate in the sociopolitical climate we’re currently facing in South Africa.

Some of you have voiced a dislike/disagreement with parts of the article and some of you the entire article; of which you are within your right to do. So in considering all opinions at play, it’s become very important for me to take this opportunity to clearly define what Kaffein Magazine is all about, our vision and brand values.

Kaffein Magazine is a publication that documents South Africa’s creative youth. We pride ourselves in scouring the earth for emerging talent and being among the first to share their stories in the most effective, honest and intimate conversational ways.

Our vision is:

• To be the most reliable source that publishes stories about South Africa’s creative youth.
• To bring awareness to social issues that affect the youth through art and our content.

One of our strongest values is honesty; reporting honestly and without bias. We not only have our readers best interests at heart but also our writers. With that said, the article reflected someone’s personal truth (her story, her journey, her opinion), which may or may not be the case for others. Kaffein Magazine is a platform that creates a space to critically engage and spark dialogue where all can express themselves freely.

Publishing the article was not with the intention to offend anyone but rather to share someone’s story. People are different and have different perceptions and views and that’s what creates dialogue, that’s what challenges our thoughts, that’s what teaches and that’s what creates diverse art forms for a diverse youth. We know that some are deeply offended and that some are grateful for the article and we appreciate all the feedback received thus far.

Knowing that some of you were insulted or upset by the views expressed by the Writer, we invite you to please continue to share your thoughts with us by commenting on the article or you too can email me personally at lethabo@kaffeinmagazine.co.za if you would like to counter the opinion piece with one of your own articles. I will review and publish it to ensure that our readers get a balanced point of view.

We pride ourselves in our values and the work we put forward and we thank you for your time and your support. Please do not let one article deter you from enjoying other content we have and will continue to publish.

Photo By: Anthony Bila